How to make a great cup of coffee at home: A step-by-step guide

Want to make the perfect cup of coffee? Three simple kitchen tools — a scale, thermometer and timer — can help you control the three important factors when it comes to coffee brewing: dose, time and heat.

1. Weigh your coffeeAs bakers know, weight is more accurate than volume when measuring dry ingredients. If you use the same scoop to measure different coffees, you may be getting different amounts, depending on the density of the beans or the coarseness of the grind.

2. Tune to your tasteFor a 12-ounce mug, start with 21 grams of coffee. You might like your coffee stronger or weaker, so test out a few different strengths (Sunday mornings are great for this) and find what you like, measuring as you go.

3. Weigh your waterWeighing water makes it easy to get an accurate measure. You need 350 grams of water for one 12-ounce cup of coffee. If you're making coffee in an auto-drip, keep in mind the standard "cup" size for these brewers is actually 5 to 6 ounces. That means a "10-cup pot" of coffee only makes about five 12-ounce cups. For a full pot, measure how many ounces your carafe actually holds and do the math.

4. Temperature mattersMany of the best flavors in coffee show up for the party only if the water's hot but not too hot. If you are heating your water in kettle or pot, bring it to a boil, then remove it from heat. Use a clip-on thermometer to check when the temperature has dropped to 205 degrees. Many auto-drip machines don't get water hot enough -- a good reason to make coffee by hand.

5. Warm your mug and potBefore you pour the hot water over the grounds, use some of the water to warm up your coffee brewer and your mug. If you don't, they will quickly absorb much of the heat from the water before the coffee has time to brew.

6. Flavor changes with timeThe flavors of coffee migrate from ground beans into water over time. If you brew for too long, the grounds will start leaching bitter flavors. If your brewing time is too short, you can end up with coffee that tastes a bit sour and flat.

7. Time it just rightThe ideal brewing time depends on how you are making your coffee. Many made-by-hand methods are faster than auto-drips, which usually take five minutes or more.